Local manufacturing industry gets boost

On the left SSC Head: Corporate Communication Mr Rino Muranda, in the middle SSC Development Fund Manager, Olga Katjiuongua and on the right MD of Dinapama Manufacturing and Supplies, David Namalenga (Photograph by Musa Carter)

The Social Security Commission’s (SSC) Development Fund provided a grant of N$750,000 to Dinapama Garment Manufacturers and Supplies to train 36 selected unemployed persons in garment manufacturing and production management. The training programme was launched officially this week.

“The fight against unemployment is everyone’s business, from government, civil society, parastatals and corporates to the man in the street. Even those currently in employment can contribute to reducing unemployment by ensuring they remain employed” said Olga Katjiuongua, Manager of SSC Development Fund of the Social Security Commission. This is one of 24 projects funded under the Commission’s Employment Scheme which will see Dinapama train 15 unemployed youth members in the field of manufacturing of clothes and bags from the design stage to the final product. The training programme started in January and runs until December 2014. Dinapama Manufacturing and Supplies agreed to provide permanent employment to the current crop of 15 trainees and also provide jobs for another 21 young people already in training. Katjiuongua stressed how it is their mandate under Section 37 of the Social Security Act to establish the Development Fund which is tasked with job creation and skills development whilst targeting unemployed Namibians from poor communities. The SSC Development Fund has to date awarded 182 full bursaries and 74 study loans and has an expenditure of N$4.3 million each year. Last year N28.8 million was availed for job creation under the fund’s employment scheme while N$10 million was for the training of the unemployed. Katjiuongua emphasized how Dinapama has set an example for other corporates to follow. “If more employers avail themselves to provide on the job training to the unemployed and recent graduates I am convinced that the mismatch between available skills and the demands of the employers will become something of the past” she said.